Cigar lighter



Feb. 4, 930. F. s. wHn'nNGToN 1346A 74 CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Dec. 29, i927 Inf/@7351021 eg/ ww/MW@ Patented Feb. 4, 1930 FRET-)ERIK G. WHITTINGTON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 STEWART-WARNER CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA CIGAR LIGHTER Application led December 29, 1927. Serial No. 243,297.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction t of a cigar and cigarette lighter adapted to be mounted in fixed position for connection with an electric circuit for energizing an element to be heated to constitute means` for lighting a cigar or cigarette applied thereto, as .for example upon the instrument board of an automobile. The invention consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings 2* Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a device embodying this invention mounted at the dash of an automobile, section being made axially of the device through the dash and the bracket by which it is secured.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device dissected.

Figure 3 is an axial section of the device assembled.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of :a detachable part of the device containing the heat element to be applied to the tip of the cigar or cigarette to be lighted thereby, while said element is entirely disconnected from the energizingcircuit for avoiding danger of communicating shock to the user. y

Figure 5 is an axial section of `the part shown in Figure 4 on on enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a section at the line 6 6 on Figure 5, showing the parts at circuits-closing position.

The structure shown in the drawings comprises two main parts of a circuit-supporting structure, .one of which is adapted to be mounted in iixed position as upon the instrument board or other convenient part of an automobile, for connection with the energizing circuit, and the other of which is detachably attached to the rst mentioned part. The flxedly mounted art comprises an exteriorly threaded aXia ly hollow stem member, 20, having an inleading circuit wlre, 15, extending through the axial bore of the stem and terminating in a contact button, 21, at the end of the stem, said button being insulated from the stem by an insulating washer, 22. The stem has an exterior annular flange, 23, aifording a shoulder for stopping an escutcheon member, 30, which isa sheet metal stampinghaving a web, 31, centrally apertured for the threaded stem, andi'an upstruck annular bead, 32, merging outwardly by radially circumilex slope in the marginal flange, 33, of the'escutcheon, and at its inner circumference bounding an upwardly open recess, 34, for

receiving the detachable member, 50, and accommodating between the same and the web, 31, a. spring member, 85. This spring member consists of a disk of thin spring metal having a central aperture for admitting the stem and spring tongues, 35a, struck up from the outer annular marginal area of the disk. The threaded stem, 20, is desirably of sufficient lengthto extend through a wooden instrument board of ordinary thickness and receive a nut, 26, for clamping the device to hold it securely on the instrument board. For ground connection of the return circuit wire, 16, when satisfactory connection cannot be obtained on the instrument board i+- self, there is provided a terminal clip, 17, to which said wire, 16, is secured, said clip being apertured for entering it upon the threaded stem, 20, on which it is passed up against the under side of the web, 31, or against the nut, 26, so that it is held in contact therewith, as well as in touch with the threaded stem, 2U, when the device is clamped on the instrument board.

The detachably mounted member, 50, comprises two parts, 51 and 52, of bakelite, glass, or other suitable insulating material, said parts being'formed for connection with each other, as by being screwed together, as seen at 53.

The circuit contains an element, 55, to be heated by the electric current and hereinafter referred to as the heat element, consisting of a spiral coil of high resistance metal havin its consecutive coils spaced out of contact and preferably the spacing lled with insulating material, 60. The coil hasits outer end connected to the inner side of the ange, 63, of a flanged disc or cup, 68a, and itsy inner end, from whose bottom web, 63", the vedges ofthe coil are separated by a mica insulating disk, 67, is connected to the stem, 64a, of the Contact button, 64, whose said stem extends through a central aperture in tleA bottom .web of thel cup, 63, without contact therewith, and through an equal aperture at the center of a disk, 66, fromwhich the button is insulated by a mica disk, 65,.so that the coil is in circuit between the button andthe disk, 66, while the button by its rigid connection with the center of the coil, has its head tightly pressed against the mica disk, 65, andholds the coil tightly to the disk, 66, which is seated at the outer circumferential margin of a metal part through which the circuit is continued, as hereinafter described. A Y

The entire element comprising the cup, 63, and heat element with its terminal contact button mounted therein, is Vlodged in the upper part, 51, ot the detachable member, 50, said part being axially hollow and counterbored at the under side -for receiving the interior thread by which it is joined to the part, 52, and for forming at thesame time a shoulder, 56, against which the disk` 66, is seated with the heat .element protruding past the shoulder, so as to be exposed in the bottom of the recess formed by the axial' aperture of the part, 51.

Mounted between the two parts, 5 1v and 52, for holding the heat element securely in position, and for other purposes hereinafter mentioned, there is provided ametal member, 54, which comprises a tubular ste1n,'54a, and a marginal ange, 54", the tubular stern, 54, being received in an axial aperture, 52, of the part, 52, a slightly distorted and vthereby-re'- silient disk, 56, encompassing'said stem, being interposed between the trans-axial web, 54?., of ithe part, 54, and theend ofthepart, 52,

for yieldingly stressing the marginal-flange,

54", against the margin of the disk, 6,6for

continuing the circuit from said disk, as above mentioned, to and through said member, 54, parts, 51and 52,'arefscrewed to when the gether.

The tubular stem, 54, of Vthe part, 54. has.

clasped about it a spring wire ring, 57, which protrudes through the stem atone side into its axial cavity into which` through the central aperture of the part, 52, the upper end of the stem. 20, above the shoulder-forming fiange, 23, of said stem, and above the web, 31, ofthe escutcheon,-extends,.said stem, 20, having an annular groove, 28, positioned for becoming engaged by the spring ring, 57 upon the protrusion of the latter within the axial cavity of the stem, 54a.

When the parts, 51 and 52, are screwed together with the heat element mounted as desc'ribed, on the disk, 66, andthe part, 54, with its flange. 54a, stopped against the margin of the disk at its under side, and the spring disk, 56, interposed at the opposite side, and

the hollow stem of the part, 54, extending into l the axial cavityy of the part,"52, the'heat element is securely held in position, exposed, as

end of the stem, 2G, when the latter is inserted through the central aperture in the part, 52,

-and enterlng the tubularl stem, 54, engages its roove, 28, with the spring ring, 57, in-

tru ing, as described, into the boreot the'Y tubular stem, 54, lfVhen the partsare thus assembled, however, the contacty buttons, 64

and 21, are held out of contact by the reaction of the spring member, 35, until pressure'is applied to the outer end of the detachable member, 50, sutiicient to disengage the annu,

lar groove, 28, in the stem, 20, from the spring t ring, 57, and thrust the button, 64, into contact with the button, 21, whereby the circuit through the heating element is closed and the same becomes heated promptly, whereupon the operator may'detach the detachable member, 50, in its entirety and apply it over the end of the cigar or cigaretteto be lighted,

bringingthe heat element into contact with-2' the end of a cigar or cigarette where it Vmay be held until ignition is eected.

It. will be noticed thatl the construction of the detachable men'iber, 50, andthe parts mounted therein is such that there isno part of thel electric circuit, andno part liable to become heated thereby, which is exposedfso as to be liable to accidentalcontact with the hand `of the user cit-her inf-closingA the circuit or in handling the detachable member,

y50, whenrv it is detached vfor lighting a cigar,

the tubular stem, 54, of the, part, 5,4, being v VKof -such length that it does not protrude through the part, 52,'but ron .the contrary lits end is stopped and guardedb a flange,

52d, at the inner end of the axial ore which receives the stem,f54'; and the heat element being positioned for contact with the cigar to be lighted, deeply in the recess formed in the forward end of the part, 51, 'into the inner end of which the heated element pro-fl trudes for a short distance only. I claim:

1. A device for the purpose indicatedcomprising two separably connected parts of an electric circuit support andan electric circuit extending in both parts adapted to he con-l` nected and disconnected in the operation of joining and separating the supporting parts, the first of said supporting parts being adapted for securement in fixed position for connection of the circuit with a current source, the circuit comprising a heat element, an insulating member in the second of said supportingparts in which the heat element is insulatedly supported, the'second of said supporting parts having a recess at .which the hea-t'element is vexposed for heating contact at a ,substantialy depth therein, the insulating. memberconsistingof two detachably engaged *13.01

65 mentioned, for access for lighting a cigaror parts, the heat element beingremovably and replaceably positioned in one of said parts accessible'for removal and replacement at the parting plane between the two parts when they are separated, and the recess for exposure ofthe heating element being formed by an aperture through the other part of said insulating member at said parting plane.

2, A device for the purpose indicated comprising two separately connected parts of an electric circuit support, and an electric circuit extending in both parts adapted to be connected and disconnected by joining and separating said support parts, the first of said support parts being secured in fixed position for connection of the circuit with a current source; a heat element contained in the portion of the circuit mounted in the second supportnpart` the two parts of the circuit carried by said two parts of the support being fixedly mounted in said support parts respectively whereby said circuit parts are adapted to serve for detachably connecting the support parts, the circuit portions on each of said support parts consisting of an annular terminal of one circuit wire and 'a terminal of the other circuit wire positioned axially -with respect to the first, the two annular terminals being dimensioned for insertion of one Within the other and being provided with cooperating means for their engagement when thus inserted, the axial terminals being positioned for end-to-end contact with each other when the annular terminals are thus engaged.

3. ln a device for the purpose indicated, a member composed of insulating material consisting of two parts disengageably engaged rigidly with each other and having respective cavities which communicate and constitute one cavity when they are secured together, one of said parts having its cavity adapted when separated from the other part to receive the heated element and parts connecting its terminals respectively to the two sides of the circuit, and the other part having its cavity comprising an aperture through which the parts constituting the sides of the circuit from the heat element are exposed for contact for completing the circuit, the iirst of said parts having a deep recess deeply in which the heat element is exposed for heatcommunicating contact, and the `other part having its cavity terminated by a marginal flange around the aperture through which the circuit-completing contacts are to be made, for preventing outward protruson of any circuit parts.

4. A device for the purpose indicated comprising a supporting member, a heat element and a housing in which it is accessible for igniting an article brought into contact therewith; a second supporting member comprising a protruding metal stem; a circuit in which the heating element is energized including said stem; a part carried by the housing adapted to telescope with said stem; a contact member in the circuit connection with the heat element positioned for encounter by the end of the stem in the movement of the housing for telescoping with the stem, and a spring catch device associated with the two telescoping parts for engaging them yieldingly with each other at their relative position in their telescoping movement at which the circuit is open between the heat element contact terminal and the stem, said catch device being adapted to be disengaged by the inwardthrust of the housing.

5. A device for the purpose indicated comprising a'supporting member, a heat element and a housing in which it is accessible ior igiting an article brought into contact therewith; a second supporting member comprising a protruding metal stem; a circuit in which thc heating element is energized including said stem; a part carried by the housing adapted to telescope with said stem; a contact member in thc circuit connection with the stem in the movement of the housing for telescoping with the stem, and a spring catch device associated with the two telescopingparts for engaging them yieldingly with each other at their relative position in their telescoping movement at which the circuit is open between the heat element contact terminal and the stem, said catch device being adapted to be disengaged by the inward thrust of the housing; and spring means reacting t'or retracting the heating element from circuit-closing position upon cessation of the inward thrust against said heating element. y

6. In the construction defined in claim 14, the spring catch device consisting of a resilient ring enclosing the outer of the two telescoped .parts and having an inward projection, the inner telescoped part having an annular groove and the outer telescoped part having an aperture foradmitting said projection to engage said groove.

7. A device :tor the purpose indicated comprising two separably connected parts ot an electric circuit support, and an electric circuit having parts extending in both support parts adapted to be connected and disconnectedin the movement for joining and separating said support parts, the first ot said support parts being adapted for securement in a fixed position for connection of the circuit with a current source, the circuit comprising a heat element, the supporting structure comprising an insulating member by which the heat element is carried, the insulating member and the part of the circuit carried thereby being detachably attached to the remainder ofthe supporting structure and circuit respectively, the engageable andl detachable parts of the circuit comprising two interlapping parts secured respectively to the two circuit supporting parts and adapted for engagement by their intel-lap with each other to hold the circuit supporting parts in connection. In testimony whereof, I have hereuntol set .5 my hand at Chicago, Illinois; this 23d day of December, 1927.

FREDERK G. WHTTINGTON.

EllllCA'lE 0l"H CORRECTIGN. Patent No. l, 746, 174; I Granted February 4, i930, to

FREDERIK e. wHirriNGroN.

- It is hereby certified-that error appears -in the Aprinted specification of the -above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line103, claim 6, for numeral ",14" read "4"; and that the seid LettersY Patent `should be read4 with this correction therein that the same may conformto the record oi the case in the Patent Office. v x v vSigned'k and sealed this 25th day of March, `lll. D. 1930.

. l e Y M. 3. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patente.

Y ,-s'o 

